Provide a definition of Copyright.
- Copyright protects someone's intellectual property from being copied and/or used for other purposes without the permission of the copyright owner.
- In Australia, it is not required to register for copyright, it happens as soon as the work is created and recorded down in some way. Even if something does not have the copyright symbol, it may not be copyright free.
- Copyright does not cover ideas or information, it covers the way or medium in which the idea is expressed in.
- Things that can be protected under copyright include:
- Art
- Literature
- Music
- Films
- Sound Recording
- Broadcasts
- Computer Programs
- Copyright is owned by the creators of works such as artists, film producers, musicians, programmers etc.
- Copyright allows creators to give or decline permission for others to copy or use their work. It also makes it possible for them to charge a fee for someone to use their work. Copyright allows them to earn money of the material that they produce. (All Right to Copy?)
- Copyright for text, songs and plays expires 70 years after the creator of it has died. Copyright for films, CDs and MP3s last for 70 years from the date that it is released. Once it goes past this amount of time, the material becomes public domain, which means that this material is accessible to everyone. (All Right to Copy?)